Don't Miss It: MTA Holiday Lights Train Adds Festive Glow To Westchester Tracks Don't Miss It: MTA Holiday Lights Train Adds Festive Glow To Westchester Tracks
Don't Miss It: MTA Holiday Lights Train Adds Festive Glow To Westchester Tracks If you’re hoping to catch Metro-North's first-ever illuminated Holiday Lights train, here’s when it will be rolling through Westchester and Putnam counties this weekend. The train, adorned with colorful exterior lights, will travel on Metro-North's Hudson Line, Harlem Line, and New Haven Line with routes timed for daylight, dusk, and nighttime hours.  Here are the times for this weekend, which are subject to change, officials said: Friday, Dec. 20:  From Grand Central:  4:21 PM to Mount Kisco (daylight into darkness); 7:26 PM to Southeast (darkness). Toward Grand Central:…
'Erratic' Driver Nabbed For DWI After Traffic Stop In Hudson Valley: Police 'Erratic' Driver Nabbed For DWI After Traffic Stop In Hudson Valley: Police
'Erratic' Driver Nabbed For DWI After Traffic Stop In Hudson Valley: Police A 61-year-old woman is facing drunk driving charges after being stopped on a Hudson Valley roadway, police said. The incident occurred around 9 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 16 in Putnam County, when deputies from the Putnam County Sheriff's Office were dispatched to Route 9 near Old West Point Road in Philipstown after receiving a call about an "erratic driver." Deputies located the vehicle and conducted a traffic stop, according to the Sheriff's Office. The driver, identified as 61-year-old Dutchess County resident Sandra Heron-Bryan of Poughkeepsie, was allegedly unable to perform field sobriety …
Party City Going Out Of Business, Closing All 800 Stores, Including 42 In NY Party City Going Out Of Business, Closing All 800 Stores, Including 42 In NY
Party City Going Out Of Business, Closing All 800 Stores, Including 42 In NY The party is over for a popular chain store that's been in business for decades. Party City is “winding down” operations immediately at its approximately 800 locations, CEO Barry Litwin told corporate employees  in a video call on Friday, Dec. 20, CNN reports. Workers were told they will not receive severance pay, and that their benefits would end as the company goes out of business, CNN says. The company, headquartered in in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey, is running low on cash and unable to pay rent in some locations, according to an earlier Bloomberg report. Party City was foun…
Small Plane Lands On NY State Thruway In Albany, Police Say (UPDATE) Small Plane Lands On NY State Thruway In Albany, Police Say (UPDATE)
Small Plane Lands On NY State Thruway In Albany, Police Say (Update) A small twin-engine plane experiencing mechanical problems landed on the New York State Thruway in the Capital Region Friday, Dec. 20, New York State Police said. The incident occurred after 12 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 20, just south of Exit 23 of the Thruway in Albany.  First responders can be seen on the scene. New York State Police reported on X that two lanes are closed, and one is open. One pilot and two passengers were on board, and no injuries were reported, state police said. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is on the scene. The incident come…
These Westchester School Districts Holding Early Dismissal, Cancelled Afterschool Activities These Westchester School Districts Holding Early Dismissal, Cancelled Afterschool Activities
These Westchester School Districts Holding Early Dismissal, Cancelled Afterschool Activities The following school districts have scheduled early dismissals and canceled afterschool activities on Friday, Dec. 20 as snowy conditions prepare to blanket the region.  Westchester County:  Peekskill City School District, dismissing one hour early Lakeland Central School District, dismissing one hour early Hendrick Hudson School District, dismissing one hour early North Salem Central School District, dismissing one hour early Yorktown Central School District, dismissing one hour early Bedford Central School District, dismissing one hour early Somers Central School District,…
Westchester Teacher Turned Hero: Man Earns Medal For Saving Woman In Subway Attack Westchester Teacher Turned Hero: Man Earns Medal For Saving Woman In Subway Attack
Westchester Teacher Turned Hero: Man Earns Medal For Saving Woman In Subway Attack A Westchester art teacher has been awarded a prestigious medal for his heroic actions in saving a woman from a violent attack on a New York City subway.  The award, announced by the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission, honors 29-year-old Scarsdale High School teacher John Catania, who risked his life on Nov. 22, 2022, to intervene as a man attacked a 28-year-old woman with a bladed weapon on a subway train in New York City.  Catania rushed at the 6-foot-4 assailant after witnessing him slash the woman’s face and strike her again. His brave intervention gave the woman time to escape to a…
Spike In Vehicle Thefts In Westchester: Suspects Using Reprogramming Tool To Force Entry Spike In Vehicle Thefts In Westchester: Suspects Using Reprogramming Tool To Force Entry
Spike In Vehicle Thefts In Westchester: Suspects Using Reprogramming Tool To Force Entry Police in Westchester are urging vehicle owners to take precautions following a recent string of vehicle thefts targeting a popular SUV model in municipal parking lots.  Over the past two weeks, several 2024-2025 Honda CR-Vs have been stolen after being parked in municipal lots during commuters' morning routines, according to a statement from the White Plains Police Department from Friday, Dec. 20. Investigators said the suspects are able to force entry into the vehicles without triggering alarms and may be using reprogramming tools to create new key fobs during the thefts. To help pr…
What's That?: Prison Alarm Malfunctions In Northern Westchester What's That?: Prison Alarm Malfunctions In Northern Westchester
What's That?: Prison Alarm Malfunctions In Northern Westchester No, that alarm you heard is not the end of the world—a prison alarm malfunctioned in Northern Westchester, police said. In an announcement on Friday morning, Dec. 20, the Ossining Police Department said that the alarm at Sing Sing Correctional Facility in the village was not working correctly.  "There is no emergency at this time," the department added.  Now that you know there's no threat, keep your eyes peeled for an upcoming film release all about the prison's Rehabilitation Through the Arts program that will premiere in theaters for the second time on Friday, Jan. 1…
Drugstore Deserts On Rise Amid Nationwide Pharmacy Closures Drugstore Deserts On Rise Amid Nationwide Pharmacy Closures
Drugstore Deserts On Rise Amid Nationwide Pharmacy Closures Nearly 30 percent of US pharmacies closed between 2010 and 2021, according to a new study in the health-policy publication Health Affairs. The research, led by University of California Berkeley assistant professor Jenny S. Guadamuz and colleagues, analyzed data from the National Council for Prescription Drug Programs, county health statistics, and ZIP Code demographic surveys.  Of the 88,930 retail pharmacies operating in 2010, almost one-third shuttered by 2021, with those in predominantly Black and Latino neighborhoods disproportionately affected, Independent pharmacies were hit ha…
New Rochelle Student Dies Leaving High School Community Reeling New Rochelle Student Dies Leaving High School Community Reeling
New Rochelle Student Dies Leaving High School Community Reeling The New Rochelle High School community is grieving the loss of a student whose untimely passing was announced by Superintendent Dr. Corey W. Reynolds on Thursday, Dec. 19. The student, whose name has not been publicly released, passed away on Monday, Dec. 16, leaving behind a legacy of resilience, determination, and ambition, Reynolds said. The student was admired by staff and peers alike for her unwavering commitment to her education and her goal of creating a better future for her family, the superintendent added. “Her memory will remain an inspiration to us all,” Reynolds wrote. “This st…
‘Eras Tour’ Vibes: Taylor Swift Laser Show Coming To Westchester Planetarium ‘Eras Tour’ Vibes: Taylor Swift Laser Show Coming To Westchester Planetarium
‘Eras Tour’ Vibes: Taylor Swift Laser Show Coming To Westchester Planetarium Although Taylor Swift has ended her globe-spanning Eras Tour, a Hudson Valley planetarium is filling this Blank Space with a light show that will feature plenty of the pop icon's hits.  The Planetarium at the Hudson River Museum in Yonkers will be holding its "Laser Taylor Swift" show through the end of December, combining Swift's best-known songs with a "dazzling laser light show," according to the museum's website.  The 55-minute show will feature hits such as "Anti-Hero," "Love Story," and "...Ready for It?"  In a post on social media, Yonkers city officials raved about t…
Big Lots To Begin 'Going Out Of Business' Sales At Nearly 1,000 Remaining Stores Big Lots To Begin 'Going Out Of Business' Sales At Nearly 1,000 Remaining Stores
Big Lots To Begin 'Going Out Of Business' Sales At Nearly 1,000 Remaining Stores Big Lots has announced plans to close all of its remaining 963 stores, initiating "going out of business" sales following its Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing in September. The company says it's started the process of closing stores in 48 states and liquidating inventory under its court-supervised Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings.  The decision comes as the retailer seeks to maximize value for stakeholders while exploring potential going-concern sale opportunities. "We all have worked extremely hard and have taken every step to complete a going concern sale," Big Lots' President and Chie…